By Wood-Mizer, Europe
February 18, 2026
The beautiful timber-framed house of Lisa and Michael Hof is situated right by a busy country road that winds through a small village near Arnsberg, Germany. Nowadays, it’s rare to see children playing outside. This makes their home stand out even more, as a group of children can often be seen playing in the yard, just like in the old days—without smartphones and gadgets—unaware of time, without TikTok or Instagram.
The Hof family includes five biological and two adopted children. Of course, the neighborhood kids often stop by to join in the fun, as there's always a little adventure waiting for them: they build treehouses from scraps and leftover wood from the LT20START sawmill, where their parents work.
An Extraordinary Family
Lisa and Michael Hof are an extraordinary couple in many ways. They've known each other since early childhood, "always," as Michael says. From the beginning, they both knew they would be together, without ever needing to say it aloud. In 2012, they tied the knot. Family comes first for them, and even Michael’s high-profile job doesn't change that priority.
Michael is a trained mechanic who works as a product manager in the aerospace industry. For over eight years, he's traveled to China, the USA, South Korea, and Europe, visiting Boeing and Airbus factories to consult on the best tools for processing high-quality materials. He also optimizes machine workflows. But as soon as the workday ends, he returns home to his wife and children.
Luckily, the long trips have become less frequent. In the meantime, Lisa, a trained orthopedic mechanic, took on the responsibilities of managing the home and family, which is often labeled “housewife work,” though this term oversimplifies her complex, multifaceted role. Her experience in caring for people with special needs is certainly a big help in this.
With seven children, there’s always something happening at the Hof house, even when the sawmill isn't running.
How the LT20START Sawmill Came Into the Hof Family’s Life
The question of how the LT20START saw came into the Hof family’s life has a simple answer. The family owns a forest plot where they harvest wood for building projects. When they needed small chicken coops, they invited a mobile Wood-Mizer sawmill operator from the area. However, since he often didn’t have time for small jobs, the Hof family decided to buy their own sawmill.
At first, a new small Wood-Mizer machine seemed too expensive, so they began looking for used equipment online. They even traveled to Leipzig to check out an old LT15 saw. Despite being 20 years old, it was priced at 4,500 euros. While this demonstrated Wood-Mizer's durability, it was a strong argument against buying the used machine. After visiting other sawmill manufacturers, they eventually returned to Wood-Mizer and visited the company's office in Schletau.
The Cookie-Mizer is also installed on the LT20START. Michael cuts round wood slices.
The Perfect Choice: Cookie-Mizer and LT15START – The Hof Family’s First Equipment
After a consultation, the Hofs chose the LT15START sawmill. They also immediately ordered the Cookie-Mizer, an attachment that makes round slices from logs, which turned out to be an excellent purchase. With this device, they cut numerous wood disks for wedding decorations, small top tables, and Christmas wreaths. The LT15START took its place in the yard, protected from road noise by a hedge. The equipment paid for itself in just two months.
The LT15START was replaced by the LT20START.
Growth and Progress: How the LT20START Improved the Hof Family’s Productivity
Typically, Michael works on the sawmill, cutting boards for the chicken coops and other small building projects. Lisa then processes the cut wood and assembles it into kits for construction. The number of orders grew faster than expected. Less than three years later, the LT15START was too small for their needs, and the LT20START took its place.
Michael spent several days and nights considering the investment in the new machine. Today, he is glad he made that decision because the heavy physical work of turning large logs is no longer necessary, and clamping the log now takes just a push of a lever. Productivity has more than doubled, and the pleasure of working has become "the cherry on top" of his decision.
Lisa assembles kits for chicken coops and small farm structures.
More Than a Sawmill: New Opportunities for Unique Projects
When the family sold the LT15START, they were pleased to find out the high residual market value of their sawmill, complete with the Cookie-Mizer that had been firmly installed on the machine's bed. Of course, the new LT20START also comes with this attachment for making round wood slices, which sell like hotcakes.
Another advantage of the new LT20START sawmill is that they can now process larger logs from urban trees, which, due to their size and many branches, aren’t suitable for regular sawmills and often end up in the fireplace. This wood is usually very cheap and is perfect for building playhouses and small farm structures.
The children frequently help their parents, and their activities can be followed online through social media. They aren’t focused on increasing sales or advertising their products; instead, they aim to inspire others to become more active and enjoy the process of creating something new. Clearly, this approach to life strengthens the bond of this remarkable family.
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